Rosedale
by Silver-Infinite
Summary: An mashup of Pretty Little Liars and Riverdale. With majority of PLL characters experiencing the events of Riverdale S1.
1. The River's Edge

Warning: I don't own Riverdale or Pretty Little Liars, all rights to its rightful owners.

"Chapter 1: The River's Edge.

"_Our story is about a town, a small town, and the people who live in the town. From a distance, it presents itself like so many other small towns all over the world... Safe. Decent. Innocent. "Get closer, though and you start seeing the shadows underneath._

_"The name of our town is Rosedale. And our story begins; with what the DiLaurentis twins did this summer._ _"On the Fourth of July, just after dawn, Jason and Alison DiLaurentis drove out to Sweetwater River for an early morning boat ride."_ "Are you scared Jason?" Alison asked. Thunder crashed and Jason just turned to his sister and shook his head no, smiling. _"The next thing we know happened for sure is that Charlie Drake who was leading Rosedale's Boy Scout Troop on a bird watching expedition, came upon Alison, by the river's edge._ "Jason" Ali whispered, shivering since she was wet all over, looking like a lost girl. _"Rosedale police dragged the river for Jason's body, but never found it._ "If he's dead Peter, I hope in those last moments he suffered. May Jason DiLaurentis rot in hell." Veronica Hastings sneered to her husband.

_"So a week later, the DiLaurentis family buried an empty casket, and Jason's death was ruled an accident, as the story that Alison told, made the rounds. That Alison dropped a glove in the water, and Jason reached down to get it, and accidentally tipped the boat, and panicked, and drowned. "As for us, we were still talking about the "July Fourth tragedy" on the last day of summer vacation, when a new mystery rolled into town."_

_**The Pembroke**_

"Now, brace yourself. The apartment's small, a pied-a-terre, but quality always". Leona Vanderwall said as a teen girl got out of the car. "Quality, always." Mona repeated as they stared up the building. "Plus, it's the only piece of property in my name and not your father's" Leona told her daughter. Mona and her mom stared at each other and went into the building. She stood there quiet as her mother talked on and on about her life in Rosedale. Mona just rolled her eyes, looking at her phone. "Welcome home." a short Indian man said. Mona looked at him in curiousness while her mom walked up to him. "Davis, oh you are sight for sore eyes." Leona replied. They both gave a brief hug "How was the ride?" asked Leona "No traffic, thank God." she replied. "Davis, I'd like to introduce to you my daughter, Mona. "It's a pleasure miss" Davis told her nicely. Mona smiled nicely at the man. "Hi I'll get the bags." Davis said excusing himself. "Oh and would you like some menus ma'am, so you can order in?" Davis asked" "Oh no. I've been craving one of Pop Tate's cheeseburgers since forever" Leona answered. "Is his Chock 'lit Shoppe still open?" "What is a Chock 'lit Shoppe?" Mona began to ask. "And why does it sell burgers?" she finished off. Leona and Davis both smiled at her.

_**Spencer's room**_

"Are you excited? Nervous?" Kevin asked excitedly to his pretty brunette friend. Spencer turned to him after tightening her hair in a ponytail, applying pink lipstick, and mascara, only in her bra. "Both. I haven't seen him all summer." she told him." Kevin smiled and continued. "Which is why nerves are acceptable, but we agreed Spencer. It's time." Kevin told her. "You like him, he likes you.

"Well, then why, Kev, hasn't he ever said or done anything?" Spencer retorted back. "Because Toby's swell, but like most millennial straight guys, he needs to be told what he wants. So tell him, finally." Kevin told his best friend, as he stood up and walked up to her window. "Well, we'll see. I mean, it depends." Spencer told him." Kevin noticed Toby and his eyes opened very wide. "Oh my God!" he exclaimed. "What?" Spencer asked turning to face him, now getting up to join him. "Game changer! Toby got hot! He's got abs now! Six more reasons for you to take that carmel bull by the horns" Kevin yelled out excitedly. As Spencer shivered a little and checked him out both squealed and Kevin helped Spencer finish getting ready.

_**The Diner**_

Toby and Spencer had met at Pop's Diner and were talking about Spencer's summer "So what was the highlight?" Toby asked. "Of my internship?" Spencer asked. Finn smiled and nodded. "The Toni Morrison book release party I organized, by far. At the end of the night, Toni Morrison, who is, as you know, my literary hero, says to me. "Don't rush time Spencer, it goes by so fast at your age. One summer can change everything." Spencer said with so much happiness Toby smiled and chuckled a little. "Wow, that's so true. "How was working for you dad?" Spencer asked Toby, smiling brightly at him.

"It was, pouring concrete, everyday, all day long. To pass time, I would start composing these poems, in my head. And at night I'd go home, I'd write them down." Toby began to say. "You don't even like to read poetry." Spencer told him a little confused. Toby shook his head. "They weren't poems, they were song lyrics. And working on them made me feel like." he said, trailing off. "Like what Toby?" Spencer said, motioning for him to continue. "It made me feels like I'd finally broken through to something real. About my life and what I should be trying to do with it. Music. Starting the class this year" Toby explained. "Spencer smiled at Toby brightly. "Amazing. Will you ask to tutor you?" she asked. "I'm not sure, maybe." Finn replied to her feeling a little uncomfortable at the mention of Ms Marshall. "What about football? Can you do both?" Spencer continued to ask. Hoping that Toby starts planning out his schedule. "I'll try out, at least." Finn responded to her." "Well, have you told your dad?" she asked him. "No." He sighed out. "Until I've got things more figured out, you're the only person I'm telling, okay?" Spencer nodded and smiled brightly again. "Well I'd love to hear them sometime. Your songs." Toby smiled. "Yeah?" he asked; "Spencer smiled and nodded. "Yes."

"Yeah, I'm finishing a couple of demos tonight." Toby told her, happily. "Great also..." Spencer began. But Toby faded her out, because in that moment a very pretty, raven short hair girl came walking in the diner and started to walk towards them since Pop's was close to their booth. Toby just stared at her beautiful face; Spencer seemed to notice and stopped talking "I called in an order, for Vanderwall?" Mona called out to Pop Tate. "Two burgers? Yeah, almost ready, but you got to wait." Pop Tate told Mona. Mona noticed Toby and Spencer and she turned to them. "Hi." she greeted. "Hey." Toby answered, almost stumbling on his words. Spencer just shrunk a little. "How are the onion rings here?" Mona asked them both "So good." Toby answered rather quickly. "Can we get some onion rings too, please?" Mona called out to Pop Tate. He called back out a yeah and Mona turned back to the couple smiling "My mom, and I just moved here so." Mona began. "From where?" Toby asked. "New York." Mona answered.

"Wow." Toby replied in awe. Spencer looked at him like if he was okay. "Do you guys go to Rosedale High?" Mona asked. "We do." Toby answered. "We do, both of us together." Spencer also answered. Toby and Spencer looked at each other, and then looked back at the raven hair girl. "Yeah, we're sophomores." Toby answered for both of them. Spencer smiled up at her. "Me too." Mona replied smiling. "I'm filled with dread." she said, "Why is that." Toby asked "Are you familiar with the works of Truman Capote?" Mona asked.

They both looked confused but Mona continued. "I'm Breakfast at Tiffany's, but this place is strictly In Cold Blood." she said joking. Toby laughed at Mona's joke and she laughed too. Spencer just looked at him weirdly. "Mona Vanderwall" Mona introduced herself. "Toby Cavanaugh" Toby introduced back. Spencer looked at him pointedly. "And uh this is Spencer Hastings." Mona looked her and recognized her name. "Wait, are you?" "Supposed to give you a tour tomorrow? Yes." Spencer replied smiling brightly at Mona. "I'm you peer mentor." Mona beamed at her. "Do you want you to join us? Maybe we can un-fill you with dread." Toby asked." Mona smiled gratefully but shook her head no. "My mom is waiting for me. But to be continued." She told them as she grabbed the food from Pop Tate. Mona smiled at them once more and left. Toby just sighed out happily and looked at Spencer. "What" She smiled at him "Nothing."

_**The Next Morning Before School**_

Toby was putting on his shirt as he quickly made his way downstairs. "Hey dad. First day of school and I'm already late." he said as he entered the kitchen. "Hey Pepper." he greeted as he petted the dog. "Hey you uh stopping by the site later?" Daniel Cavanaugh his son. "Dad, it's my first day." He told him. "Oh we got to get you going in the office, so next summer you're not on the crew." Papa Cavanaugh told him. Toby just nodded. "Well, I can't. I've got football tryouts. Or is that not okay?" the older Cavanaugh shook his head. "No, it's uh okay. Good luck." Toby smiled and grabbed his backpack and made his way out the door.

Veronica Hastings was currently sitting on Spencer's bed watching as she gathers her things. "Spencer this coming year is critical, for colleges." she began. "Grades are important, extracurricular, athletics. Maintaining a decent character is hugely important, they do look at that." "Mom, I'm a sophomore." Spencer told her. "You've accomplished so much, I don't want anything jeopardizing that. I mean just think of your poor sister. She was a shining star before she let that DiLaurentis boy ruin her." Veronica told her daughter. "Mom, I'm not Melissa." Spencer told her mom, a little annoyed that once again her mom was comparing her to her older sister. "You missed curfew last night." Veronica told her.

"By five minutes. I was with Toby who has baby blue eyes, but its nothing like Jason DiLaurentis" Spencer told her mom. "Oh but sweetie, all boys are like Jason." Veronica said. Spencer sighed and finished packing her backpack. "I love you so much Spencer." she told her daughter as she stood up walking up to her. "I just need you to be smart okay and stay focused." "Veronica placed Spencer's pills on her hand and she started to walk out the door. "I refilled your Adderall." she said and paused by her door. "Seems you forgot to pick up your prescription." Spencer sighed and grabbed her things, and then looked at her medication."

_**School-time**_

Toby was grabbing his books from his locker when Noel Kahn walked up to him "Bro, you are ready for football. I'm not kidding you dude. You got ripped." Noel joked. "Dude you're a beast, look at this arm. It's diesel." Toby closed his locker and smirked, as he started to walk away with Noel following him. How much you benching, like 220? 225? You got to give me some tips man. Romanian dead lifts, right? Taking some T? Ginseng? Maca root? Tribulus territories?" Noel joked. "It's from working construction, Noel." Toby told him, chuckling a little." Oh yeah, yeah, that's right." Noel told him. "Yo Mike! Look who grew up over the summer."

"Hey!" Mike said as he caught up with them. Greeting Noel and Toby. "Be honest with me, you work on any houses? Any private homes?" Noel asked Toby. "Yeah, a couple." Toby replied smiling. "Did you tap some cougar ass this summer?" Kahn asked smirking "You know what, I think that's more a fantasy for your wank-bank Noel." Toby told him smirking as he left the two teens. "I'll see you guys soon." Peace out brother." Noel just laughed and smirked as he turned to Mike. "Totally did it bro. He totally did it." Mike just laughed and they both left to their classes.

Spencer and Mona were heading out from the office. "So I usually start off my tours with a little history and context." Spencer began, while they both walked down the hall. "Rosedale High, first opened its door in 1941." "And hasn't been redecorated since. Apparently." Mona said as she looked around the school. "Honestly, I feel like I'm wandering through the lost epilogue of Our Town." "Uh huh." Spencer replied. They both giggled.

"So what are the social scenes like here? Any night clubs?" Mona asked. Kevin caught up and answered. "A strip club called the Ho Zone, and tragic gay bar called Innuendo. "Friday nights, football games and then tailgate parties at the Mall mat parking nights is movie night, regardless of what's playing at the Bijou, and you better get there early, because we don't have reserved seating in the nights... Thank God for HBO."

"Mona Vanderwall, Kevin Keller." Spencer began to introduce. "Mona's new here, Kevin is gay." "Thank God. Let's be best friends." Mona finished off as she shook hands with Kevin. Kevin smiled "Is true about your dad?" He asked in all seriousness. "That's he's the devil incarnate?" Mona began to get defensive. "I stand by my father. Does everyone here know?" Spencer and Kevin looked at each other and then looked at Mona in pity. Mona began to get mad. "Wonderful. Ten minutes in and I'm already the Blue Jasmine of Rosedale High." She snapped as she walked away. "What?" Kevin asked a little confused at her remarks.

Toby walked into an auditorium where he heard three girls practicing singing. Hanna and the Pussycats. Hanna was the first one to noticed him and she stopped Madison and Yvonne. "Excuse me, this is a closed rehearsal." Hanna told Toby. "I'm sorry Hanna right? I was hoping, I could talk to you about some songs I wrote?" Toby began to say. Hanna stood up and walked towards him cutting him off. "Let me stop you right there. You're staring at our pussycat ears, which is rude. But let me break it and then down for you. The Pussycats are building a brand, creating a signature look, okay? We're telling a story. Last year we won the County's Battle of the Bands. "That we did." Yvonne Philips responded. Hanna smiled and pointed her finger back to Yvonne. "That we did. We'd like to build on that success, continue telling out story with songs we write."

"I get that. It's just.." Toby began "Read my glossed lips very slowly. Not happening." Hanna said as she waved goodbye to him Toby sighed and nodded and left. "

Oh, and of course there's the Back to School semi formal dance this weekend." Kevin said as him, Spencer and Mona walked. Mona spotted Toby and grabbed Spencer. "Oh, there's the hottie we were with last night. The fawn-headed Ansel Elgort." Mona said. "Is he your boyfriend?" he's straight." Kevin answered. No, we're just friends." Spencer said. Kevin and Spencer looked at each other and smiled. "In that case, mind putting in a word. I've tried every flavor of boy but _caramel." _Mona said "Actually to clarify. Spencer and Toby aren't dating but they are endgame being Spoby." Kevin informed Mona.

Mona smiled at Spencer. "You should ask him to the semiformal then." she told Spencer. "She should, but I heard it might be cancelled. Because of what happened to Jason. They are going to tell us at the assembly." Kevin informed them Mona looked at both of them confused. "Who's Jason and what happened to him?" she asked them. Kevin and Spencer looked at each other in all seriousness and then looked at Mona.

"Thank you for that moment of silence." Alison DiLaurentis began. "Many of you were lucky enough to have known my brother personally. Each and everyone of you meant the world to Jason." Mona looked at Spencer and looked back to Alison. While Caleb Rivers looked up from his laptop and glared at no one and went back typing on his computer. "I loved my brother. He was and always will be my soul mate. So I speak with the confidence only a twin could have." Toby caught the eyes of the music teacher Jenna Marshall and they stared at each other immensely. "Jason wouldn't want us to spend the year mourning. Jason would want us to move with our lives. Which is why I asked the school board not to cancel the back to school began to cheer and Alison continued. "But rather to let us use it as a way to heal, collectively, and celebrate my brother's too, too short life on this mortal coil. Thank you all." she finished.

Everyone cheered but Toby ignored them all and continued to focus on Ms. Marshall as he remembered what they did during the summer.

She was the first one to look away, and when it was time to leave she hurried out the door. _**"Ms. Marshal hey." Toby said as she stopped her car right next to him. "Toby." she greeted. What are you doing walking in this heat?" "Uhm. Building character." Toby responded as he laughed. Ms. Marshall laughed too "You want a ride?" she asked. Later on that night they were making out.**_

Toby ran to catch up to Ms. Marshall and he called out for her. "Ms. Marshall! Ms Marshall! Jenna." he called out "That finally got her attention. "What can I do for you Mr. Cavanaugh?" "Can we talk Ms. Marshall Please?" Toby asked. "It depends. About what?" she told him. "You're the music teacher. Can we talk about music?" Toby asked her." "Of course, make an appointment. During my office hours, my official office hours." She told him and walked away." Toby sighed and watched her as she left.

_**Cavanaugh's trailer**_

Daniel Cavanaugh walked into his office and noticed Leona Vanderwall "Leona Vanderwall" Daniel said as he chuckled he walked towards he and putting his construction work hat down and sat on his chair. "Well my day just got a lot more interesting." "Hello Dan." Leona said. "How are you?" "Surprised. Can I get you anything? Would you like water?" Daniel began "A job." Leona quickly responded. "I saw on your website that you are looking for a seasonal hire, someone to help with the books?" "Yeah, my guy's on paternity leave." Daniel responded. "You know I think my daughter's going to school with your son, isn't that funny? We'll have to tell them that we knew each other that we even dated for a little. Well, at least until I..." Leona began to say. "Chose the rich kid." he finished for her. "And now a reversal of fortune."

How's Marion doing?" Leona asked. "Still in Philly. We split up. We're civil." Daniel answered. "How about you? How are you holding up? Really?" he asked her. Leona chuckled and looked at Dan. "I have a little money saved. I was praying that someone here, maybe an old friend, would be willing to give me the benefit of the doubt." she told him. Daniel sighed and looked at her again. "If it were up to me." he began to say. Isn't it up to you? It's your company." Leona told him. Dan sighed and shook his head. "Well I have clients. I can't very well have Leona Vanderwall, the wife of Hiram Vanderwall on trial for fraud and embezzlement, balancing my books. Can I?" No, I suppose you can't." Leona said. She nodded and stood up and left.

_**Cafeteria**_

Mona made her way out to the courtyard and by the stairs she looked around at the cliques that were formed. She caught Alison's table. Noel's table and then she spotted everyone looking at her. Mona sighed and walked towards the table where Kevin, Spencer, and Toby were sitting at. The trio sat that there listening to one of Toby's song. Kevin just looked interested and Spencer looked awed.

"Can I join?" Mona asked. Listening to one of Toby's song." Spencer answered. "I thought we were going to have to pretend to like it, but it's actually really good." Kevin admitted. Toby looked at Kevin and nodded. "Wait that was you singing? "Something you wrote?" Mona asked him. It's rough." Toby admitted. "No, it's great." Spencer told him. "It's incredible, actually, the snippet I heard. Is that your thing? Music? Are you going to do something with that?"

Mona asked. Spencer and Kevin just gave each other a look and then back to their food. "Yeah, that's the plan." Toby answered. "So how's your first day of school is going? Good?" he asked.

Mona sighed and turned to them all. "Not to be a complete narcissist, but I thought people would be more. "Obsessed with you?" Kevin finished off for her. "Any other year you'd be trending number one, for sure. This year though, it's all about Ali trying to win the Best Supporting Psycho Oscar role for her role as Rosedale Highest, bereaved Blonde Widow." he said.

Toby looked up and noticed Ali walking towards them. He got his stuff together and stood up. "Hey I should go. I got that meeting with Marshall and then football tryouts so." he said as he started to walk away. "You play football too? What don't you do." Mona said. Toby walked away and the three of them faced each other. "Before you ask, Blue Jasmine, no, she has not invited him to the dance yet." Kevin said.

"Not yet and don't talk about Toby." Spencer said quickly. "Mona Vanderwall I heard whisperings." Alison came up to their table. Spencer and Kevin hared a look and then looked at her. "I'm Alison DiLaurentis may I sit." she turned to Spencer. "Spencer would you mind."

Spencer scooted over and ignored Ali. Alison smiled to Mona and continued. "So what are you three hens talking about? Toby's Efron-esque emergence from the chrysalis of puberty?" Mona looked at Spencer and she shook her head no. Mona looked at Ali and smiled. "Extracurricular, Fields wants me to sign up for a few." she told Ali.

"Cheerleading is a must." Ali told her smiling. " I'm the senior captain of the Vixens." "Is cheerleading still a thing?" Kevin retorted." Is being the gay best friend still a thing?' Ali snapped back. She turned to Mona and smiled brightly. "Some people say it's retro. I say it's eternal and iconic."

"At Nightingale Academy, I sat at the top of the Elites' pyramid." Mona began. "I'm in. Spence you're trying out too."

Ali stared at Spencer's plate and gave a disgusted look. "Of course. Anyone's welcome to try out. But Spencer's already got so much on her plate right now. And being a Vixen is kind of a full time thing." Ali looked back up and smiled. "But open to all." She stood and faced Mona. "Follow me on Twitter and I'll do the same. My handle is Ali Dee" she said and walked off.

The trio sat there as they watched Ali walk away, Mona rolled her eyes and face Spencer. "Okay. Go ahead, and hate on cheerleading but if Hipster Prince Harry..." Spencer cut her off smiling. "I'd love to be a cheerleader. It would look great on my college applications. But last year, when I tried out, Ali said I was too chubby." she explained. "Too Season 5 Betty Draper." Kevin chimed in.

"Well, you're a total smoke show now. I mean it." Mona began to tell Spencer. "As hot and as smart as you are, you should be the Queen Bee for this drab hive." Spencer smiled at Mona. "Look if you want to be a Vixen, I'll help you prep. I have moves." "Okay, you know what? Show me your moves." Mona told Spencer. Kevin smiled at the two girls were now deeply interacting with only each other.

Toby was currently looking Ms. Marshall as she hearing his song. Ms. Marshall took off his headphones and handed his phone back to him. "They're, very real. Very personal." she told Toby. "I took your advice and wrote them down. Polished them. But I was wondering maybe you can help me." Toby asked. "With what Toby?" she asked a little nervously.

"You went to Juilliard, there is no one else in Rosedale I can take lessons from, believe me I've looked." Toby said. "Well I don't think this is a good idea." she started to whisper. "I don't think we should be alone together." she told him. Toby just sat there staring at her in disbelief. "If this is you trying to restart something that never should've started in the first." "No, it's not. It's about the music." Toby explained. "But it's also." Toby sighed. "Come on, I need to be able to talk about what happened with someone.

We heard what we heard and we didn't do anything. We didn't say anything." he said in a pleading voice. Remembering the gunshot they heard at the Sweetwater River. "We heard fireworks." She told Toby. "Who's lighting up fireworks at 7:00 in the morning?" Toby asked her.

"How would we explain why we were together at the river on the Fourth of July." She retorted back to him. "And you're right. We didn't say anything. We're both going to have to live with that choice. Do you understand? I think you should pursue your music, but not with me." She said and left the room. Toby watched her walk away and sighed out.

_**School Gym**_

"We're Red! And White! We're dynamite! We'll take you down and fight the fight!" Spencer and Mona cheered. Whoo, go Warriors!" Mona cheered.

Ali sat on her chair with two other Vixens. "Hmm. Ladies, where the heat? Where's the sizzle?" "Well you haven't seen our big finish yet." Mona told her. She turned to Spencer and whispered to her. "Don't freak out. Just trust me." She looked confused and Mona leaned in to kiss her. They both kissed, while Ali rolled her eyes and handed her clip chart to the other Vixen. "

Check your sell by date ladies. Faux lesbian kissing hasn't been taboo since 1994." Ali began. "So let's see if you do better with the interview portion of our audition." Alison turned to Spencer and started to ask her questions. "Spencer, how's your sister doing?" "Melissa's fine. Thanks for asking." Spencer answered looking rather uncomfortable.

Alison turned to Mona and started again." Mona has Spencer told you about her sister yet? Spencer faced Mona and turned back to Alison. "Uhm no. "Go ahead Spencer, tell Mona about your sister and my dear brother." Ali demanded her. "Melissa and Jason dated." Spencer began.

"I wouldn't call it dating." Ali interrupting. "It didn't end well." Spencer said again." In fact, Jason's probably the reason why your sister had a nervous breakdown and now lives in a group home, isn't it?" Alison sneered. "That's what my parents think." Spencer interjected. "What do you have to say about that Spencer? Go ahead the floor is yours. Whatever you've been dying to spew about Jason and how he treated Melissa unleash it."

Ali sneered. Spencer began to clench her hands, digging very deep. Mona took a noticed and paid attention to her hands, while Alison continued. "Destroy me. Tear me a new one. Rip me to shreds Annihilate me." "I just." Spencer began. She un-clenched her hands and Mona noticed they were bloody. She frowned at that. "Finally." Ali said. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry about what happened to Jason. I can't even imagine what you and your family are going through." She told her. "Right." Ali said. She looked up and smiled.

"Mona, welcome to the Vixens. Better luck next time Spencer". Ali spat.

"What? Why?" Mona said. "Because you couldn't bully Spencer into being a bitch?" "I need girls with fire on my squad." Ali told her.

"I know what you need, Alison, because I know who you are." Mona began to say, bringing out her ice queen bitch attitude. "You would rather people fear than like you. So you traffic in terror and intimidation. You're rich, so you never were held accountable, but I'm living proof! That certainty, that entitlement you wear on your head like a crown? It won't last." Mona said pointing out facts, as she stalked towards Ali. "Eventually, there will be reckoning, or maybe that reckoning is me."

"Spencer and I come as a matching set. You want one you take us both!" Mona spat. Spencer looked down biting her lip and looked back up. Mona now in front of Alison glaring at her. "You wanted fire? Sorry Ali Dee my specialty is ice." Mona sneered. Alison looked at her, with glassy eyes, and stayed quiet. Mona just glared down at her, daring her to refuse her and Spencer.

_**The Football Field**_

The whistle rang loudly, as Toby ran up to the sidelines to get some water, he watched as he heard Coach Wilden yelling out the plays to his football players. He was resting for a bit when he got called. "Cavanaugh!"

"What's up Coach?" Toby said as he jogged up to him. "Here" Coach Wilden said throwing him a football jersey. Toby looked at the jersey number and looked shocked. "This is Jason's number." Toby told him

"It's yours now." Coach told him as he looked at his team "Usually sophomores they only play JV. This year we've got an open spot in varsity. From what you've been showing us, well I want you to fill it." Coach told him. "Varsity's got longer practices, more away games." Toby began to say. ""Yeah, bigger commitment, yeah." Coach said. "Well I need to think about it Coach I." Toby began to say. "Oh? What you got something better to do?" Coach Wilden told him. Toby sighed out. "My dad's company. It's our family business, and he's sort of counting on me to help after school, on weekends." he explained. "Hold up." Coach said. "Kahn hold the ball!" He yelled. "You know what, why don't you sleep on it. Let's go. Bring it in guys. Come on." Toby sighed and followed.

Mona was helping Spencer zip up her Vixen uniform. Spencer turned around and they both giggled. The white long sleeve undershirt with the red and white cheerleading shirt and skirt. She turned around and checked her outfit before Spencer tried to get her attention. "Mona." she began to say. "Why did you defend me? I know the crowd you ran with in New York. Why are you being so nice?" they were walking outside where football practice was going when she finally talked. Mona sighed. "When my father got arrested, it was the worst thing ever, all these troll started writing horrible things about us. We'd get letters and e-mails, saying that my dad was a thief, my mom was a clueless socialite, and that I was the spoiled rich bitch princess" Mona turned to her and sighed. "And what hurt the most about it was, the things the trolls were writing were true.

"I was like Ali, I was worse than Ali. So when my mom said were moving here, I made a pact with myself to use this as an opportunity to become maybe, hopefully a better version of my self." Mona finished explaining.

"That's a lot of pressure." Spencer told her. Mona stared at her and Spence sighed. "When Melissa and Jason got together, it meant everything to her and nothing to him and, things got super intense and toxic and my mom turned on her. Said that Melissa wasn't her daughter anymore, said all these awful things to her. Jason hurt Mel but it's my mom who broke her."

Mona spotted Toby and decided to change the topic. "Toby!" She called out. Spencer stood there trying to formulate words. "What are you doing?" she whispered. "Slaying your dragons Spencer Hastings. One by one." Mona told her. Toby jogged up to them.

"Hey there Superstar." she told him. "Hey, nice outfits." Toby said complimenting the cheerleading outfits. Mona smiled widely. "Spencer here has something she wants to ask you about the back to school dance." she turned to her. "Go on Spencer." "I was wondering if you wanted to come with." she said turning back to Toby. "Both of us."Huh?" Mona asked. "What?" Toby said. "It's your first dance here" She began to explain to Mona. "You should have someone to go with even if it's just a friend. "I mean, I'd love to." Mona said. "Oh. That's okay" Spencer told him softly, a little disappointed.

"Totally unacceptable Tobes, We need an escort." Mona began to say. They both turned to face her. "Take a break from being a musical genius and come spend a blissful evening with not one, but two newly-minted Vixens. We'll text to you time and place." Toby just smiled and laughed a little. "Okay, yeah. Okay. They said bye to Toby and took off. The girls watched him go, and then turned to each other and giggled and left to their own home.

Spencer had her music in her room and she was dancing around without a care in the world. Veronica appeared by her daughter's room and turned off her music. "What is that?" "I made the cheerleading squad." Spencer told her.

She gave a disapproved look. "Alison DiLaurentis's cheerleading squad? After what Jason did to Melissa? No. I'm sorry. I won't allow it I rather see you take up field hockey instead. Take that off right now! "No." Spencer told her mother. "What did you say to me?" Veronica asked her daughter "I do everything for everyone. Everything! The perfect daughter, the perfect sister, the perfect student. Can't I do this one thing just for me?" Spencer told her mom as she walked around her. "Wait where are you going?" "To buy a dress. Because guess what? I'm also going to the dance with my friends Toby and Mona." Spencer stated.

"Leona Vanderwall's daughter?" Veronica asked. "She's actually really nice and trying to be a good person." Spencer said. "You think so?" Veronica began to say. "You think she's going to be your friend? Let me tell you about something. Girls like her and Alison DiLaurentis, they don't like girls like us." "I don't want to hear it mom." Spencer snapped at her. "It's happening. I'm going!" She grabbed her purse and took off, almost storming off.

_**The Vanderwall's Apartment**_

Leona had walked in to her apartment looking devastated with Davis helping her out. "Thank you Davis as always, you're a godsend." she told him. "Happy to help, Ms. Vanderwall" he told her smiling. "Unlike the rest of this town." Leona said under her breathe "Hmm, what was that Ms?" Davis asked. Leona waved him off and smiled at him. Davis nodded and began to leave. "Oh a spot of good news. The car service found and dropped off your missing bag." he told her and left. "Missing bag?" Leona asked to herself confused. She walked up to the bag and opened it and saw the big amounts of cash. "Oh Hiram. What have you done." she whispered.

_**Cavanaugh's household**_

Toby was sitting out on his porch, strumming his guitar, thinking of what more songs he can write. Daniel walked out to the porch and Toby turned to him and put his guitar down. "I, uh. I got a call from your coach today." Dan began. "He's under the impression that you can't play varsity football, because I'm making you work for me. Which is odd, because you made it seem like you couldn't work for me because you were playing football." Toby looked down and his dad continued talking "So my first question. Who are you lying to? Your coach or me? "Neither." Toby responded. Dan looked at him and he sighed. "Both. Dad. I want to study music, I want to write music." "Football takes you to college. College takes you to business school. Business school." Daniel began to say. "Takes me back here. To work for you in Rosedale." Toby finished off for him.

"Not for me. With me and someday eventually for yourself son. The company will be yours." Dan told his son. "No disrespect dad, but I don't want it." Toby admitted.

"Three months ago, you did. What happened?" Dan asked, "I've changed everything changed this summer." Toby began to admit. "This summer what?" Daniel asked his son sighing and shook head. "That's it? We don't talk anymore?" He told his son. "Dad." Toby began to say. "I would never force you to play football. I don't care if you play football. And you don't have to work with me or for me, ever again. But advice man to man? These decisions that you're making now, son, they have consequences. They go on to form that you are. And who'll you become. Whatever you decide is confident enough in it that you don't have to lie about it." Dan said as he went back inside. Toby looked up the sky lost in his thoughts.

**School Gym**

Mona, Toby and Spencer walked up the gym of the school looking around at the decoration. Mona let go of Toby's arm and took a step ahead and turned to them. "Well it's not the Met Ball." she said. "Hey, when do you have to let Coach Wilden know about football?" Spencer asked. "This weekend." Toby answered her. Guys, can't we just liberate ourselves from the tired dichotomy of jock/artist? Can't we in this, post James Franco world, be all things at once?" Mona asked. Spencer and Toby looked at each other and back at her. "I've been working on it Mona." he told her.

Mona smiled. "Work faster. I'm getting punch." she leaned a little closer to Spencer and whispered. "You got this." "They watched at Mona took off. Spencer stood in front of Toby. "It's about following your heart. Right? What does your heart say? Music or football?"

Toby looked at her and then up and caught Ms. Marshall's gaze. "Spence, will you give me a minute? And I promise when I get back, I'll be much better date, okay? I got a plan." Toby said taking off. Before Spencer could react Kevin came up to her. "Spence, you will not believe who just propositioned me in the bathroom. Give you a hint. His name maybe Mike, but I'd describe a certain appendage of his as horse like." He told her ignoring the look she was giving him.

Toby walked up next to the snack table and turned to. "Don't panic, I'm not stalking you. "Toby, didn't we have a deal?" she asked let out a small snort and he went to sit next to her. "No, Jenna. We have a secret. Multiple secrets, actually. And maybe we could've done something to help Jason that morning, or maybe we couldn't have. And I won't tell anyone anything, but you need to help me." he explained to her. "This summer, the only thing that kept me sane was writing these songs. So here's my not so indecent proposal. I want to do an independent study with you, and I swear that's all it'll be. And I won't tell anyone about July Fourth ever. Deal?" he asked her. "Monday, Wednesdays, Friday at 7:30 a.m. before first period. I'll set it up and see about getting you credit." Ms. Marshall said as she left Toby.

He smiled and walked his way back to where he left Spence. He made his way back when Ali came up, and Hanna and the Pussycats were setting up their set. "Good evening friends. As honorary chairperson and de facto queen of semiformal. It is my great pleasure, to introduce this evening's entertainment. To know them is to be obsessed with them. Though they usually perform their own material, they're making an exception and debuting a cover of the song my parents claim they were listening to the night Jason and I were conceived. This one's for you Jason." Alison finished off. Kevin was being dragged off by Mona, and waved at Mike who was spiking the punch with Noel.

Toby caught up with Spencer and smiled. "Sorry about that." "I give you Hanna and the Pussycats." Ali introduced. Everyone cheered and began to pair off to dance. "Want to dance?" Toby asked. She smiled and nodded. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she wrapped hers around his neck. "Yeah." she replied. "Did that go okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, yes. I'll study music with Ms. Marshall before school, football practice after school, and work with my dad on the weekends." Toby told her. Spencer smiled. "It's going to be nuts so long as you don't give up your passion." She laughed. Toby smiled and they continued to dance. Spencer turned her head and saw Kevin and Mona dancing, motioning her to ask him out.

She smiled and turned back to Toby. "Uhm, now that I am a Vixen, and you're going be on the varsity football, I have this fantasy of us being a power couple being that is the standard normal for the cheerleader to date the quarterback." Toby stopped dancing and stared at her. "Spence. "Is that so impossible to imagine." Spencer told him as she let him go. Toby just stared at her in disbelief and looked back up to Ms. Marshall she just looked away from him. They separated and joined in applauding the band.

Alison noticed the couple and started to smirk. "Make sure those two turtledoves come to my after party. Mona too." she told her two minions. "I'm in the mood for chaos

_**Thorn Hill**_

Mona and Spencer were sitting in the couch at Ali's place. Noel Kahn was there shouting things a little drunk already. Toby was standing and just staring at everyone. Alison came in, with a bottle in her.

"It's game time at Chez DiLaurentis kiddies." Ali said. "We're going old school span tonight Seven Minutes in Heaven. Who wants to tryst in the Closet of Love first? My vote is T for Toby Anyone care to second it?" "Wait actually." Toby began to say. "Yes, Cavanaugh! Yes!" Noel yelled out. He laughed and turned back to face Mona and winked at her. She just rolled her eyes. "All right. Gather round kids. Let's see who's riding the fawn stallion," Ali said smirking. She spun the bottle and it landed on Mona. She looked up at Toby and at Spencer and frowned. "Oh! No way." Noel laughed out a little drunk.

"It's clearly pointing to, the new girl. This should be fun." Ali said smirking then glared at her. "I'm not doing this." "That's up to you. But if you don't, house rules decree the hostess gets to take your turn." Ali said. Mona looked at her newfound friend with so much regret as she led Toby into the closet.

"I know her brother died and everything but Alison DiLaurentis truly is the antichrist." Mona told Toby once the door was shut behind. "They both laughed. "So uh, do you miss New York?" Toby asked. "It's been less than a week, but yes." Mona told him. "Six minutes, twenty seconds." Toby reminded. "Okay, Your turn. Ask me a deep, probing question to kill time." he told her. Mona laughed and nodded. "It looked like you and Spence were having fun at the dance." Mona began to say. "Definitely. We've been best friends forever." Toby responded. "My turn. "I didn't ask my question yet." Mona cut him off. "Is that all it is? Just friends? "We're not just friends, we're best friends." Toby corrected her. Mona just chuckled and nodded. "My turn. Did you have a boyfriend in New York?" "No my turn." Mona answered. "Could it ever possibly become something more?" Toby looked at her confused. "Are you asking for Spencer or yourself?" he asked her. "For Spencer, and you didn't my question." Mona answered.

"I have never felt, whatever it is I'm supposed to feel with Spence." Toby admitted. "Have you felt it, though? With anyone?" Mona began to whisper and took a little step closer. "Yeah. This summer. Have you?" Toby asked her back. Maybe once." She admitted smiling and pointed his chest. "You are a little more dangerous than you look, aren't you? All boy next doorish." she told him. "You have no idea." Toby told her stepping closer to her. Mona looked up and looked at his lips and back into his eyes. "Your turn. Ask me a question Toby." she whispered. "Ask me anything you want. We shouldn't do this." "We definitely shouldn't be doing this." Toby leaned closer. They finished their time by kissing each other.

When they both got out the closet everyone was there except Spencer. Mona gasped and got mad at herself for doing a bitchy move. Noel whistled at them both and smirked. "Nailed it." he said. "Where's Spence?" Mona asked. "She spiraled and fled between us, she's a lot more high strung that she looks." Ali said glaring at her and took a step forward. Toby grabbed her by the wrist. Mona glared at her once again. "You shady bitch." she sneered and walked away, with Toby following behind her. Ali gave an amusing smirk to their fleeing backsides.

Toby tried to catch up with Mona by the stairs calling and she didn't answer, angrily hung up and put it in her bag "Crap. Her cell is off." Toby told her. I'm getting an Uber." Mona told him. "Can I come with you? We should probably try to find her." Toby asked stopped and turned to face him. "Believe me. The last thing Spencer wants is us tracking her down together." She groaned. "We messed up." she took off and Toby just stared at her.

Mona walked into her home and walked up to where her mom was sitting at. Leona looked up at her daughter. "Hey, you're home early. How was the dance?" Mona just smiled a little. "It was fine. I mean it's not the Met Ball or anything." she admitted laying her head on her mother's lap. "Tell me about it. You can cheer me up." Leona told her. "I'm super tired Mom." Mona told her in a weak voice. Leona noticed and frowned at her daughter. "Is everything okay?" Mona said nothing and stared blankly ahead. "Mona, what is it?" Leona asked. She just played with her hair and left it like that.

_**The Diner**_

_"It was midnight, and my old friend Toby arrived at the one place in town that was still open. "He was looking for the girl next door. "Instead he found me."_

Toby walked in Pop's Diner and looked everywhere for Spencer and instead found Caleb Rivers. Toby turned and walked up the counter to Pop. "Hey Pop, Spence hasn't come in tonight hasn't she?" he asked him. Pop Tate shook his head no and nodded towards Caleb. "Nope just the night hawk."

"Thanks" Toby said disappointment in his voice. He went to walk where Caleb was sitting at. "Hey, can I sit, Caleb?" Toby asked. "If you want." Caleb replied. "What are you working on?" Toby asked as he sat down. "My novel." Caleb replied. "It's about this summer, and Jason ""Seventeen years old and how will he be remembered? A captain of the water polo team?" Toby asked him; The Aquaholics? Considering how he died. Probably not." Caleb replied to him giving him his usual glare "No what I mean is." Toby began. He played with his hand and then looked up at Caleb

"Was he supposed to do, everything he wanted, I mean did he even know what that was?" Caleb just stared at him and changed the subject "Coach Wilden was in here talking to Pop Tate. Varsity. Does that make you, what, Mr. Popular Football God now?" he teased him. "No, in fact, I'm kind of terrified. I lost my best friend" "If you mean Spencer whatever happened, just talk to her." Caleb told him, looking out the window glaring. "You know it'd go a long way." He looked back at him. "Would've gone a long way with me." Toby stared at him guiltily and nodded.

Toby arrived to Spence's house and paused a little and stared at the house. She opened her door and walked out. Toby took that as a sign and made his way towards her. "I'm not going to ask what you did with Mona at Alison's" she began. Toby paused. "But what I'm asking you now, right now, if you love me, Toby. Or even like me?" she asked with tears in her eyes. "Of course I love you Spence." Toby said taking a step forward. "But I can't give you the answer you want." "Why?" Spencer asked getting annoyed Toby sighed. "You are so perfect." he admitted to her. Spencer just huffed and a tear ran down her face. "I've never been good enough for you. I'll never be good enough for you." She just stared at him and nodded before turning around and walking back into her house.

_"And so, it wasn't one heart that broke that night. It was two"_

Kevin and Mike arrived at the river's edge and got off the car. Kevin was ahead of Mike and was already unbuttoning his shirt. "For the record I'm not gay." Mike told Kevin following him. Kevin started to chuckle. "Obviously not Mike, you're on the football team. But if you were gay, what would you like to do?" "Everything but kiss." Mike laughed and nodded. "I love a good closet case." Kevin finally unbuttons his shirt and took it off and tried to untuck his undershirt. He turned to Mike and continued on "So, let's start with skinny-dipping and then see what happens?" He took a step back and tripped and fell. Mike laughed a little "Dude are you okay?" Mike asked. Kevin swallowed deeply and stared at the dead body in front of him. Mike's smile fell at what Kevin was staring at. "Oh my God it's Jason!" Mike said. "He was shot." "The two teens just stared at the moldy, zombie like body of Jason DiLaurentis and noticed the bullet hole in the middle of his head. "By next morning, everyone would be talking, texting and posting about it."

Toby and his dad stared at the body that was currently being taken away; he turned and saw Alison crying, and then noticed Spencer, with her mom and dad besides her. Toby looked back and saw Mona with her mom and then he looked at Caleb who took off.

_"We'd be all feeling it. "That the world around us had changed. Maybe forever. That Rosedale wasn't the same town as before. That is was a town of shadows and secrets now. On Monday, the autopsy on Jason would take place and on Tuesday, halfway through fourth period, the first arrest would be made."_


	2. A Touch Of Evil

_**Disclaimer:As always I don't own anything expect for this story.**_

Chapter 2. Evil Touch

_"This story is about a town, once wholesome and innocent, now forever changed by the mysterious death of Jason DiLaurentis on July Fourth I think many of us, maybe the entire town, had been hoping against hope that somehow Jason hadn't drowned that fatal day." That we would see him in school on Monday_ _or that we'd see him and Ali in a booth at Pop's. However that was before the undeniable, irrecoverable fact of his bloated, waterlogged body, a corpse, with a bullet in its forehead, and terrible secrets that could only be revealed by the cold, steel, blade of a coroner's autopsy scalpel or the telltale beating of a guilty heart._

Toby woke up, sweating from his dream that involved him and Jenna kissing and a gunshot being fired. He reached for his phone and texted Spence, asking if she was up and willing to talk to him. He stood by his window hoping she would say yes. All he got was two simple no's, and Spence turning off her bedroom's lamp as she shook her head, stared at him from the window.

Toby sighed and put on his basketball shorts and put on his shoes and sneaked out his house and began to run. He wasn't sure where he was headed; all he knew is that he needed a run. It didn't come clear to him where he was running to, when he noticed a familiar home, he ran up and banged on the door loud. He waited until, opened her door "Toby, what are you doing here?" she asked. "It wasn't fireworks, Ms. Marshall" was all Toby told her, walking inside her house. "You can't be here Toby." she told him, hoping he'd leave her house. "On July 4th July it was a gunshot we heard." Was all Toby told her, ignoring what she was telling him." You can't come to my house." she argued back.

"Probably the shot that killed Jason DiLaurentis." He told her, now facing her. "We know exactly what the police know, that a gun was fired. That a boy was shot, we don't know by whom." Ms. Marshall said. "We know when it was fired. That's something the police still don't know." Toby told her. She sighed and looked at him. "They're performing an autopsy." "We could call them anonymously" Toby argued." This is not a negotiation, Toby. This is our lives. If anybody knows that we were there? I could lose my job! You could get

Expelled! We could go to jail!" Ms. Marshall argued back. Toby stood there just staring at her.

The next morning, Toby woke up, got ready and headed downstairs." All right. Here you go Peeper." Dan said feeding the dog "Good boy." Toby entered the kitchen and nodded at his dad. "Morning dad." "Hey bud." Dan greeted. He turned to his son and looked at him. "Where'd you sneak off to last night? Toby panicked a bit and looked at his dad. "You uh heard that?" Son, I've been hearing you sneak out since you were seven years old going to Caleb's tree house." he told him. "I couldn't sleep. Went for a jog to tire my self out." Toby somewhat lied to his dad as Dan nodded. "Yeah? You got something on your mind?" he asked. Toby sighed "Just about a million things." he admitted.

Toby nodded and leaned against the counter. "Hmm, no more midnight runs. Until the police catch whoever it was that shot that poor kid. I swear to God, this town." Dan said as he turned his back to him. Toby just looked down and sighed, something he's been doing a whole lot lately.

Spencer was lying on her bed, just thinking, when the knocking on her door, interrupted her. "Hey honey" Peter Hastings, Spencer's dad said as he opened her door, Veronica right behind him. "We just wanted you to know, it's going to be a bit of a late night for us." he warned her. Her mom just strolled around in her room. "It's going to be a lot of late night's for us. I mean an accidental drowning? Who cares? But the sociopathic son of the wealthiest family in town, murdered? That's a national obsession waiting to happen." she finished off. Spencer just sat there looking at her parents with a little evil glint, hoping they'd just stop. "He's barely in his grave, Veronica." Peter told his wife. "Can you warm up the car, Peter I'll be right down." Veronica told her husband. He just sighed and walked out the room.

She continued and walked to Spencer's bed, making her sit up as she sat down. Spencer put on her perfect smile to her mom and sat there listening to her. "Spencer, you know what I love most about you is that you always want to see the good in people." her mom began. Spencer just sat there still faking her smile. "Even people like Alison DiLaurentis, Mona Vanderwall, and Toby Cavanaugh, but when they betrayed you this weekend, you saw their true colors didn't you?" "I did. I definitely did." Spence responded just to satisfy her mother. "So no more backsliding." Veronica almost sneered. "No Alison, no Mona, and "No Toby" she finished off for her as her mother just nodded.

The doorbell rang at the Cavanaugh's place and Toby went to open the door. He stood there in shock when he saw Spencer there standing and turning to him. "Walk me to school?" She asked him. He nodded and grabbed his stuff and they made their way out. They walked to school and she started to speak. "I needed time to process. To separate what my mom from what I want. I think I want." "Which is?" Toby asked her. "My mom says I should never speak to you again, but I... even though you don't like me that way I still want us to be friends. Best friends." Spencer explained to him. "You do?" Toby asked smiling hugely. ""Yeah." she replied to him, smiling. "I mean that's great Spence, me too." Toby replied still smiling. "I'd be lying if I said that it didn't hurt." Spencer began to say, now looking away. "I'm sorry Spencer, I didn't do it to be a..." Toby began to explain himself. "I don't know I just... I thought it would be better in the long run." he finished off. She turned to him quickly, cutting him off. "And it will be." she told him. "Oh, and told tell my mom we're friends again." she warned him. Spencer walked a little ahead and Toby just paused stared at her confused.

Toby was leaning against the lockers, staring at Jason's memorial that was put up. He just stood there staring, thinking about that gunshot he heard on July fourth. What if it was that gunshot, that killed him. Caleb noticed him and walked up to him. "Hey." Toby shot up and turned around and saw it was only Caleb. "Do you think I can use Jason's death as an excuse to get out of PE?" Caleb asked Toby. "Sorry coach, I'm just too depressed and freaked out right now to do pull ups." he finished. "Don't joke about that." Toby said to Caleb very seriously. "What?" Caleb asked. Toby just gave him this look and Caleb sighed. "Sardonic humor is my way of relating to the world." He told him. Toby just nodded and Caleb scoffed when he looked past him.

He scoffed again, when he saw Noel walking in the hall with Mike and Jared behind him. "Look, it's the rich kids from The Goonies." Toby looked behind him and noticed them as well. "All right, I'm out." Caleb told him. Noel deliberately shoulder bumped into Caleb causing him to move sideways. "Watch it, Wednesday Adams." he said amused. Caleb just glared and rolled his eyes and left.

"Now that romance is off the table, I'll just say it." Kevin said, as him and Spencer were walking in the hallways. "Are we a 100 percent sure that Toby's straight? Because no straight man has that body." Kevin teased as Spencer smiled weakly and turned to him "Speaking of bodies. Have you recovered from finding Jason's?" she asked him. Kevin just turned to her. "It was more traumatizing having to explain to my dad what I was doing with Mike at the river." he told her. "Yet another perk of being the Sheriff's son." he sarcastically said as he walked into the office and saw a bouquet, and gasped, "Oh my God those are gorgeous. Are those for Spence?" Kevin asked. That's why I called her." she said. Spencer just walked in and smiled softly at her.

While Kevin looked around and got the card out. "Dear Spence, please forgive me. Xoxo, M." he read out loud and gave her a confused looked. "Who the hell is M?" "Mona" Spence responded at the same time as Mona who walked in the door with a box. "Spencer." She said as she shyly walked in. "The yellow is for friendship. I also had magnolia cupcake flown in from New York." She explained as held up the box. "Because my mom likes to say there's no wrong the right cupcake can fix. Also I... I've booked us for hers and hers mani-pedis at Chez salon. Blowouts too." Mona told her. She sighed. "I'm so, so sorry Spence. I don't know what happened to me that night, it was such a basic bitch move. It was like, I was like I was possessed." "Madame Satan?" Kevin retorted back.

Rachel shook her head. "Like the old Mona." She told corrected him. "And I will never, ever do anything like that to you again. I swear on my mother's pearls." She sighed out. "Just, can you please give me one more chance?" Spencer just sucked in her breathe and smile tightly. "Okay." "What?" Kevin asked a little confused. "What?" Mona asked happily. "Really? Awesome I'll take it. And you won't regret it." she said smiling. "Okay." Spencer told her smiling a little tightly, and then staring at Kevin. "And I'll bring these to lunch, so we can celebrate." Mona said smiling. She turned around and walked away, still smiling big when she gave one final goodbye, but her smile faltered when she noticed her mood, she sighed.

Kevin turned to her giving her a questioning look and Spencer sighed. "It's the path of least resistance, Kevin a week ago, Mona and I weren't friends. Next week we'll just nod to each other as pass the hall, but that's it. You know in two weeks, she won't even remember my name. And in three, she'll have latched her to some other girl to destroy." She sneered.

Kevin just stared at her now noticing her mood. He was torn in believing in Spence's words and pointing out to her that Mona was honestly trying, so he said nothing and kept staring at her. Spencer gave him a dirty look in return finally making him look away from her.

Principal Fields was in her office, with Alison DiLaurentis along side Sheriff Keller as she said the following announcement "Good morning, students. This is your principal speaking. There have been many inquires of about the upcoming pep rally. So let me state clearly, it's happening, as scheduled." she said. Alison smiled brightly, and she continued. "Now, on a less felicitous note, if you could give your attention to Sheriff Keller. He just gave a tight smile to the principal and took over "Most of you already know the details, but your classmate, Jason DiLaurentis's body has been found, late on Saturday night." Everyone was now staring up at the intercom, hearing the words that Sheriff Kevin was saying, "So as of the weekend, Jason's death is now treated as a homicide. It's on open and ongoing investigation." he finished. Ali now leaned forward and took over. "And may I interject, neither I or my parents will rest until Jason's death is avenged and his cold-hearted killer is walking the green mile to sit in Old Sparky and fry. I, for one, have my suspicions. #RoseDaleStrong." she said, almost as a sneer. "If you know anything, that can help us find and apprehend Jason's killer or anything about what happened on July Fourth." Sheriff Keller finished off.

Toby Cavanaugh stood before Jason DiLaurentis's memorial on the display, and he looked conflicted as he heard the next words of Sheriff Keller, he gave the display one last look and left before stopping by the principal's office door. "I strongly urge you to come forward immediately." The Sheriff continued. Toby stood there peeking as the principal took a notice of him. "You can speak to me or Principal Fields. A death like this wounds us all." Toby quickly glanced away and left. "Let's not let Jason down." Sheriff Keller finished.

Caleb looked confused, he step forward and looked at Toby as he left, and then he looked at Jason's memorial display and left to follow him. He found Toby by the water fountains and approached him. "Toby." Caleb called. Toby turned to him and looked up, and stood up straight facing him now. "Weirdest thing this summer, we were supposed to go on a road trip, over the July Fourth weekend." he told Toby. Toby was now looking a bit nervous and started to sweat a little, but still Caleb continued. "Which you bailed on, at the last minute. Is there something you want to tell me, pal?" Toby just looked at Caleb, and swallowed deeply, and just stared at him, while Caleb stared back at him with narrowed eyes as if daring him to lie, so it can confirm his suspicions he has now to why Toby was acting so nervous.

Toby walked into his science class, with everyone already in there as the students walked to sit in their seats, he passed Caleb and they just stared at each other. Riley and Naomi were sitting on the table turned to Ali talking to her, asking her questions. "We were wondering, Ali. Back in July, you told the police that Jason had drowned." Riley began. "Yet, we come to find out that Jason didn't drown he was shot. That highly suspicious, no?" Naomi finished off Alison just stared at them and then gave them a fake smile. "Are you living mannequins, suggesting that I had to do something with my brother's death?" she asked, as she slapped on her latex glove "

We're just curious. What do police think happened?" Riley asked. "I'll tell you what I told them." Alison sneered, smiling falsely. "Which that, Jason did fall into the water. We both did. I made it to the shore. He didn't. Maybe he made it to the other side of the river and someone shot him there who knows!" She yelled out.

Finally Mr. Tanner made it in and told his students to get ready. "Seats, everyone. Pair off. Gloves on. Scalpels up. "Can I be with Ali?" Toby asked, walking away. "And I want to be with Spence." Mona spoke up, turning to Spence and Kevin. They just had their mouths wide open. "Oh uh. I was thinking I'd partner up with Kevin." Spencer said, "Mike just walked by and stopped in front of them "Actually, uh, Keller's with me. We like talked." he told her. "Oh God." Kevin whispered under his breath as he took off to Mike. Spencer just looked up and moved over for Mona who just made her way to Spencer. "Once again, fate throws us together." she told Spencer. "Hmm." Spence said, smiling at her a little.

"So." Mike began to say. Saturday night." "Listen Mike, you're hot? Yes. My type? Definitely. But you've got more demons than The Exorcist. We're all on the spectrum, but my gay-o-meter says you should stick with what you know best... Girls." Kevin told Mike. Mike just looked a little glum and looked forwards.

"Alison, we haven't talked since the summer. I just wanted to say I'm really sorry about your brother." Toby told her. "He was the best." she told him, looking down "If I can do anything to help." Toby told her "That's sweet, Toby, but unless you were at the River and know who shot him." Ali told him, giving him tight smile. Toby just glanced down and thought back of him being there with, and looked back up at her again. "Do, uh, do you know if the police have any leads?" He asked. "What? No you ghoul. But it's only matter of time. And my twin-tuition is telling me, it's someone we all know." she told him.

"Right. Well I'm not great at science, but I can take point on this, if it's too weird for you." Toby told her looking down and then back at her, motioning, at the frog they are about to dissect. Alison frowned a little. "Weird? Why?" then it hit her. "Oh, you mean because my brother is being dissected with a blade, just like this one, possibility at this very moment?" Alison asked getting the scalpel out, with Riley and Naomi staring at her. "Don't worry, I'm fine." she said now opening the scalpel. She turned to Riley and Naomi. In fact, I'm amazing." Ali said now stabbing the frog, with both girls gasping, and Caleb turning to stare at what got the girls scared, and saw Ali cutting the frog open, as she stared at them. Toby just looking at the frog in disgust now and slightly concern for the surviving DiLaurentis twin.

"Every corpse has a tale to tell. Step closer to the body." the man, told Veronica. "There are several morbid details you should find relevant to your article." She stepped into his lab, and started to walk towards him. "What details, Dr. Carl? What sticks out to you?" She asked. "The marbling of the veins. Signs of scavenger activity." Dr. Carl told her. Veronica just kept making her way towards him as he explained. "Ligature marks on both wrists. And a hint of cryo-necrotic preservation." he told her, now facing her as she gave him an envelope. "Small bills right?" Veronica asked, as she leaned forward and looked at Jason up close, and Dr. Carl opening up the envelope to check the amount of cash he was given. Veronica just smiled as she got something big and juicy, ready to be revealed on her and Peter's newsletter business.

Mona, Spence, and Kevin were all walking towards their lunch table. "So, what did Mike want?" Mona asked Kevin "Oh my God, I don't think he even knows." Kevin exclaimed out. As he turned to both girls, they both laughed. "I mean, I am devastatingly handsome in that classic, pre-accident Montgomery Clift kind of way, and sexuality is fluid, but can someone named Mike actually be that fluid?" he asked them "Mona and Spencer just laughed and Kevin smiled. "Okay well, I ship it." Mona told Kevin. "Well of course you do you're a big city girl with lose morals." he told her. Mona smile slowly vanished, as Spencer gave Kevin a knowing look. "I just meant that Mike has an official girlfriend Colleen. Anyway, it's terrible to say, but part of me wishes he would just stay in the darn closet." Kevin spat out. Toby looked up and gave him a questioning look. "Obviously, I didn't mean literal closet." Kevin said. "Toby." Mona said, now trying to change the subject. "Any new material you want to try out on a very forgiving audience?" she asked. Toby just sighed. "I...""Please." Mona said almost begging, giving him the look

"Would you?" Spence asked softly. "I'd love to hear it." "I'm still working on the lyrics so." Toby said, putting his guitar strap on. She just smiled and nodded. "Okay." Toby began to play his guitar and started to sing. Kevin turned to Mona and they smiled at each other, and Spencer just sat there, listening to him sing. Her eyes began to water, as she thought of them together at the dance, him smiling down at her. Spencer just looked down and her eyes threatened to spill her tears. She remembered the feeling she got when Toby told her about him not being perfect enough and that she was perfect. She was having a hard time to control her feelings, but as Toby continued to sing, it started to get harder. Spencer looked down, now trying to keep her tears from falling. Toby looked up as he finished playing "Spence?" he asked. Now getting Kevin and Mona's attention to her. "You okay?" Toby asked concerned as he noticed her crying

Spencer just gave a slight chuckle and sniffed. "I'm supposed to say yes. That's what the nice girl always says, but..." she said; now looking at Toby as her voice cracked standing up. "No, I'm not. I want to be. I thought I could be. But it's too much, too fast, Toby." she said now cracking.

"Spencer." Toby said suddenly Spencer turned around and started to walk away. "Spence, wait." Toby quickly set his guitar down, grabbed his letterman and rushed to follow her while Kevin and Mona stared at them. "Spencer, wait come on listen to me." "No." She said turning to Toby. "No, when... When I think you, of where I feel safest and most myself, I think of us, in a booth, at Pop's..." she told him. "Me too." Toby said, almost desperately. "But that's not true." she said cutting him off. "I thought I could pretend this weekend didn't happen, but... "I can't give you the answer you want." That's what you said to me. And that's how I feel right now, I'm sorry." she told him as she turned to walk away from him. "Spence!" Toby called out as he went to follow her.

"Mr. Cavanaugh." Principal Fields now showing up at the worst timing possible. Spencer used that opportunity wanting to desperately get away from Toby. "If we can have a word in private?" she asked Toby. Toby nodded and followed her. Principal Fields took him away from the rest of the crowd, to somewhere less deserted. "You're in a very good place right now, Toby, Varsity football. AP Music tutorials. This morning, in the hallway, you couldn't meet my eyes, why?" she asked Toby. "I was distracted I wasn't feeling well." Toby lied. "I had two kids myself so I know that look when something is being held back wherever you are ready to get your secret off your chest you know where to find me." She said. Toby just stared at her.

Toby barged into Jenna's music room, as she looked up startled, from her flute." Fields just asked me if I knew about Jason." Toby told her. "And?" she asked him. "What did you say? "Nothing that I didn't." Toby told her, shaking his head. "But she said that if I did, I shouldn't be scared, and he'd make sure I was okay." he finished. Jenna just sighed and went to get up. "Of course he would, you're her student.," she whispered out now standing in front of him.

"Is this." Toby began "How you feel about me, is it real? " he asked Ms. Marshall. She just looked down for a bit and then stared at him again. "Because if it's not, then I don't know what I'm protecting. ""It is." said, as she took her glasses off. "It is real." she told him, as she went to hold his hand. "Maybe it's not right, but it's real. Which is why... we... you... Can't go to Pamela Fields. If you do that, we will never see each other again. Toby, I'm putting myself in your hands." She leaned in forward to him.

Caleb was walking down the hall, minding his own business, and listening to his music when he passed by the music room. He walked past the door when he noticed two figures, he paid it no mind. He stopped, and he frowned and then he walked back to peek at the door. He saw Toby and, looking very close, as they were ready to kiss each other, he started at them through the door window, glaring. It finally clicked to him. Why Toby suddenly bailed out, why he suddenly had the interest to be a songwriter, and a musician. Everything just clicked together as he discovered the truth.

The Rosedale Vixens were currently practicing their cheer dance for the pep rally. Mona was the middle, main girl, that's if you don't include Alison DiLaurentis "Stand down, Vixens." Ali said, cutting the music, everyone was there in their practice outfits, which was short cotton shorts, red and white, mid long sleeves shirt, red and white tube socks, and their cheer shoes. Only Alison had the HBIC in the back of her shirt. "And listen up, the weather's predicting a downpour the night of the rally. But already you're raining on my parade. With Jason so present in our collective consciousness, all eyes will be on me. Will this beautiful, exotic, hothouse, flower drown under the town's scrutiny or be swamped by her emotions?" Ali said talking to her squad, pacing. "The answer ladies, is, no and no. That being said, I need star power. I need the Pussycats. Stay loose, and limber ladies, I need to make a call." She informed them before walking away. All the Vixens went to go sit down. Spence just held her pom poms as she sat down with Mona right behind her. "After this practice, I'll totally need pedicure." Mona began to tell Spence. "You?" She asked Spencer. "I have homework." She told her.

Mona just nodded a bit and stared at her, sensing Spencer shutting her out. "I know everyone grieves differently, but Ali hosting a pep rally to cope with her loss. That's either brilliant, or psychotic, or both." She said. Spencer just glared a bit. "Yeah, well at least she is not putting up an act. Pretending she's a butterfly, when really she's a wasp." She sneered. Mona just stared at her in shock. "For the record, I went into that closet with Toby, so that Alison wouldn't." She retorted back. "Oh. So you did it to protect me?" Spence asked, like she didn't believe her. "Damn straight." Mona told her back a little angry. Spencer now stood up, getting angry with Mona. "Okay, so nothing happened between you and him, in the closet then?" She asked. Mona just stayed quiet. "Yeah, that's what I thought. You know Toby and I were fine, before you got here." "If by fine, you mean he was oblivious, and you were pinning after him in quiet desperation." Mona retorted back.

"We were friends at least.," she yelled at Mona who scoffed. "You were walking on emotional eggshells, scared to tell him the truth." She retorted. Spencer rolled her eyes, scoffing. "Okay you don't know me, Mona. "It's not my fault he doesn't like you." Mona said now standing up, she sighed, "If that's what you're thinking. It's not anyone's fault, it's not even stupid Toby's. It's just how it is. Most of the time the people we like, don't like us back. Romeo and Juliet are the exception, not the rule. Look, never speak to me again, if that's what you want, I'll accept that, but what exactly did Toby do wrong?" Mona asked.

Desperately wanting to get the two best friends talking again and being okay. "Are you seriously taking his side?' Spencer asked losing her temper even more. Alison walked back in the gym and noticed them arguing. Smiling she made her way towards them "No, I'm not taking any-" Rachel began to say while Spencer cut her off angrily. "And this is your way of trying to be friends with me again?" Spencer asked. Ali made her way up to them smiling. "The Pussycats are in. Oh sorry ladies, am I interrupting?" she asked very innocently. Mona glared at her. "As a matter of fact…" she began before Spencer cut her off again. "No, you're not." Spence said. "Actually I was about to come and find you, Ali." She said, Mona now stared at her in disbelief. "I have a certificate for hers and hers Manis and pedis and blowouts at Chez Salon, do you want to come with me?"

"Don't do this." Mona told her. Alison snapped at her. "Butt out, closet monster. You have forfeited your right to take the high and mighty road. As pour moir, Spence of course. I never say no to a Pedi, and I was just about to suggest the same thing. Can I steal her for a second?" Ali said, taking her hand, and dragging her away from Mona. Spencer just smiled at Rachel and shrugged, following Alison. Mona just sighed and looked away.

Mona was sitting on the stools at Pop's watching her mother work as a waitress in Pop Tate's shop. Leona handed the person their order and smile, walking away sighing as she stared at her daughter. "You're doing great, mom. Better than me than me, this week." Mona told her mom. Leona smiled and got back to work, behind the counter. "Yeah, we're surviving Mon, by our wits, because that what we Vanderwall woman do." she told her. Mona stood up and walked towards her mother. "If he could see us now." Leona said. "He'd say you look stunning in that new uniform." Mona told her mom. Leona flushed a little. "I'm going for this Joan Crawford, Mildred Pierce thing. Is it working?" Mona just chuckled and nodded. "Definitely."

The door chimed and Toby walked in. Mona turned to him, and her smile fell. "Hey." Toby said. ""Hey yourself." Mona said back. "And who might this heart breaker be?" Leona asked now turning to her daughter. Mona just gave her mom a pointed look. "I'm picking up an order for Cavanaugh." Toby told Leona. "Ah you're Dan's son." Leona said smiling. "You're as handsome as your father was" she told him. Toby smiled at her and Mona just grabbed her things. "I'll see you at home mom." Mona said. "Uh wait, I'm sure Toby would happily, escort you." She said handing Toby his food. Mona just gave a nervous smile like if her mother was putting her more in trouble. ""Is uh, Spence still mad at you?" Mona asked as they walked down the neighborhood.

"We're back to no texting." Toby told her. "What about you?" "I'm back to being the shallow, toxic, rich bitch who ruins everything in her path." she told him with sadness evident in her voice. "Which is unfortunate, because even though I just met her, it really felt like we were meant to be best friends. Like... like it was our destiny, and now." she sighed again. "It's like there was this train, that was heading to the rest of my life and I just missed it." She chuckled. "Spence and I have been next door neighbors, since we were five. We've always gone to the same school, been in the same class. I remember in second grade I was having trouble reading, and my teacher, Mrs. Gribrock, told my mom and dad that I should stay back a year." Toby told her, smiling at the memory.

Mona just smiled, and Toby continued. "Spence was so against us not being in the same grade, that she took it upon herself, to tutor me, every single day." he told her. Mona smiled imaging those two as little kids. "In the second grade?" she asked him. Toby just grinned and laughed a little. "Yeah, anyway, when I passed, thanks to Spencer, I kissed her and I asked her to marry me." he said smiling fondly. Mona just let out an aww, and Toby continued, "She was like, "Oh Toby, we're too young, ask me again when we're 18 and I'll say yes."

Mona just smiled and looked forward. "Wow." was all she managed to say. "I hate that I hurt her." Toby admitted, looking pained the smile gone. "Give her time, Tobes. That's all you can do." Mona advised him. "And don't despair. I don't think your story with Spence is over." she told him. They continued the rest of walk in silence.

* * *

Ali walked up to Spence's mirror and fixed her lipstick, she smiled as she looked around. "Your room's so sweet." Ali told her. "It's too pink, it doesn't feel right anymore." Spencer said, laughing a little. "No, I like how girly it is, mine is too." Ali said, putting on blush, she tilted her head up a little harsh, and the small evil glint appeared in Spence's eyes. "You should come over and see it sometime. But just you, not Mona." she added, Spencer just looked away from her. "I mean, she must be evil incarnate if even you won't have her as a friend." Alison said. "And on the subject of being friends, Spence, I'm sorry I've been such a bitch to you. After Melissa and Jason's epic demise I was angry... At everyone." she told her, Spencer just stared at her. "But I took it out on you which was super unfair. Especially since, in a way, it's kind of like we both lost siblings. How, uh, how is Melissa? Is she still in that group home?" she asked. Spencer just nodded, and Alison continued to question her. "Do you think she knows what happened to Jason, that he was murdered?" Spencer frowned at the question. "I... I'm not sure." she told her, wondering if her parents even told her sister about Jason. "What do you think went down between them?" Ali asked, very innocent like. ""I don't know." Spence said, now getting worked up. "What do you parents say? Ali asked. "About Melissa and Jason?" Spencer asked her. Alison nodded and continued on Spencer's make up. "Not a lot." she told Ali. "Same." Alison said. "I keep thinking that maybe Jason said something to her or she said something to him. I mean, didn't they have a big fight this summer, or...?" she said trailing off. "Why are you asking me so many questions about Melissa?" Spencer asked, now getting royalty pissed off. Ali just stared at her. "Ali?"

Alison finally dropped her nice act and talked. "Because, you dumb cow. Someone shot my brother, and I think it was crazy, tweaked out sister." she told her. That was Spencer's breaking point, as she couldn't hold of her turmoil of emotions. She stood up as Alison checked her self in the mirror. "Get out of my house." Spencer said. Ali rolled her eyes and turned to face her. "Not until you tell me..." But Spencer just cut her off. "Alison, get the hell out of my house, before I kill you." She said in a menacing dark voice, now standing right in front of her. Ali stood there, afraid. She stood there watching Spence, as her once innocent face, was gone, and now it was dark, angry look that she was staring at. Alison just stared at her, trying not to cry.

Toby was finally making his way back home in the dark, with the order in his hand, from walking Mona home. He turned and saw Caleb, sitting the steps, waiting for him. "Cab, what's up?" he asked, glancing at the Hastings's home. "What's up, is that I saw you Toby" Caleb said, as he stood up now walking towards Toby. "In the music room, with an certain someone who teaches said subject " he told him. Toby panicked a little. "Keep your voice down, my dad's inside." he told him.

"I'm trying to help you... Dude. I'm trying to be your friend here, even though we're not anymore." Caleb snapped at him. Toby just stood there, quiet. "How long? You and Marshall?" he asked Toby.

Toby just sighed. "Since the summer." he said, now looking at him. Caleb just stood there staring at him. "I like her." he pointed out. Caleb just scoffed and turned to look away from him now, as he started to pace. "So I'm guessing she's the reason, you've been acting weird since summer." he asked. One of them." Toby admitted. "One of them?" Caleb asked repeating his question. "There's more?" Toby just glanced at the floor and then backs at him, debating if he should just tell him the truth. "We were at The River, on July Fourth." he admitted to him. Caleb just stared at him in shock. "We heard a gunshot. The gunshot." Caleb just shook his head at him. "Dude you have to tell somebody." he told him in all seriousness in his voice. "I can't." Toby told him, walking up to him. "And neither can you, if people find out about Marshall."

"A kid is dead, Toby!" Caleb yelled at him. "And you're worried about some... some cougar?" he asked in disbelief. Toby just shut his eyes when Caleb said that to him and he got defensive. "Don't call her that, she's not like that. She cares about me." "Don't be a idiot she cares more about herself! She's the one who's telling you not to say anything, right?" Caleb asked making Toby glanced down, not saying anything. That's the answer was all he needed, he scoffed. "Look I saw you guys, she's messing with you man. She's messing with your head." Toby just got mad. "What the hell do you know about it, Caleb? Or about me?" Toby said to him, as if he were blaming him for not knowing a thing about him, as if it weren't his fault that they stopped talking in the first place.

"Nothing." Caleb said, shrugging his shoulders. Toby looked at him, a little hurt about his response. "But I used to know this guy once, Toby Cavanaugh he wasn't perfect, but he always tried to do the right thing, at least." said as he started to walk away. "Cab." Toby said, grabbing his arm to stop him, he sighed. "If you tell anyone about this..." he threatened. His former friend frowned, as he stared at him. "What?" he asked angrily. "What are you going to do?" he challenged. Toby just stood there watching him

The door opened and Dan Cavanaugh came walking out the house. "Hey, Cab coming in? Take out from Pop's." he told him. Caleb gave Toby a dark unreadable look. "He was just leaving dad." Toby said. Caleb just scoffed and walked away from him, muttering to himself how much of an idiot his ex best friend was being. Toby watched his crown beanie, ex best friend walk away again reminiscing about the last time he had had done that the end of their friendship.

The next day, Spencer was sitting in her chair staring directly ahead, thinking about what had went down yesterday between her and Ali. She was in deep thought, she got frighten when her mom barged in. "A little sage, to banish the evil spirits." Veronica said. "Mom." She moaned, as she shook her head. "I'm not joking Spence that family is pure evil." She told her as she wafting the sage around her room. "I'm wondering if they didn't kill Jason themselves. Sacrifice him to some dark pagan god that they worship in that insane mansion of theirs." Spencer turned sideways of her chair and looked at her mom. "Mom, does Melissa know about Jason?" she asked her. Veronica looked at her and set the sage on top of the drawers. "I told her, but half the time, your sister doesn't even know what day it is." "Mom, why were you so against them being together?" Spencer asked. "Many reasons that family everything they touch, it rots." Veronica responded to her. "Spencer just sat there staring at her mom. She turned back around and then stood up "Mom, I was thinking. Maybe it's time I go visit Melissa."

I'm so proud of how you stood up to that dragoness, but honestly Spencer why Alison was over here in the first place?" Veronica asked completely avoiding the subject of visiting Melissa. "And who else is going to come waltzing in? Mona? Toby? How many times are you going to let them hurt you?" Spence sighed. "Until I learn my lesson mom." she told her.

Spencer was getting her backpack from her locker, glancing at Mona who was across from her, she sighed. "You were right." She said, as she closed her locker. Mona jumped a little and turned to face the taller brunette. "And about what you said about Toby sometimes it's hard to admit things to yourself." Spencer told her. "My mother is crazy. I'm afraid I'll never see my sister again. The boy I like doesn't like me back." she said, she took a step forward to Mona, and she did the same. "He may not be crushing on you, but he does love you and he's legit miserable without you, if it's any consolation." Mona told her stepping closer. Spencer just smiled a little. "My mom says sometimes that a friend is better than a boyfriend. Maybe this is one of those times." she told her. "I would like that." Spencer said quietly. Making Mona relax, as all was good as all was good in Spona land again.

"And Sheriff Keller's grilling me, Noel the Magnificent." Noel said as he tossed a football up telling Mike. Everyone was currently in the student lounge. Mona was sitting on the arm of the chair, talking to Eric Wilden. Noel was sitting on the couch, with Jesse standing right behind him; Mike was sitting across from them. Kevin and Spencer were sitting on the couch doing work, while Caleb stood, leaning on the counter, while finally Toby walked in the lounge. "Cause I'd want DiLaurentis dead when he was, like, the only good quarterback we had and speaking of offensive tight-ends, I should've sent the cops to you, Mike." Noel said. "Because here's another unsolved mystery. What exactly were you and Kevin doing at the river, huh? Or does being with the sheriff's son give you a free pass? Keller?" Noel asked now turning back to where Kev and Spence were sitting at. "Noel is being a blowhard, Kev." Spencer told him. Kevin just glared at the jock. "I don't care what he says." he told her.

Noel just turned back around. "I mean, let's think about it. If a kid here killed Jason, it's not going to be a jock, right?" he asked. Tossing the football to some other player from the team. Mona and Eric now started to pay attention to him. "Now let's be honest. Isn't it always some spooky, scrawny, pathetic Internet troll, too busy writing his manifestos to get laid?" he said. Toby was struggling to put the dollar in the vending machine, Caleb just turned to face Finn, rolling his eyes at Noel's stupid theories. Toby turned to him, annoyed. "Some smug, moody, serial killer fanboy freak, like Caleb?" Noel said as he laughed and everyone turned to Caleb. "What was it like, Suicide Squad? When you shot Jason?" Puck said. Caleb just rolled his eyes. "You didn't do stuff to the body, did you? Like after?" he asked. "It's called necrophilia, Noel. Can you spell it?" Caleb taunted him. Noel got angry, and he stood up, jumping over the couch and making his way towards Caleb. "Come here, you little..." he said. Toby quickly went to push Noel back from fighting Caleb. "Shut the hell up, Kahn." he said to him "Boys." Mona warned, standing up. Noel just scoffed and stared at Toby. "Why do you care?" he asked. "Because you're being a dick just leave him alone." Toby told him.

Noel being idiotic enough not to take the warning started to smirk. "Holy crap, did you and Donnie Darko, kill him together? Was it some sort of pervy, blood brother thing?" he said. Spencer sat up, and watched the scene in front of her. Toby angrily pushed him back, and Caleb just stared at Toby like he was crazy. Noel got angry again, and he pushed him back to the vending machine, breaking it, while Caleb tried to separate them without any success. Noel shrugged him off and he grabbed Toby shoving him to the floor. Everyone stood up, and Mike jumped over the couch to help Caleb pull him off of Toby. Eric stood up, while Mona stood behind him, holding onto his arm, just in case he'd start to fight. Spencer and Kevin stood up, while she looked distressed about the scene in front of her. Noel shrugged the guys off of him, he turned back and suckered punch Toby who saw stars before he blacked out.

* * *

Toby was leaning over the counter, holding a pack over his bruised eye. Daniel walked in and sighed. "Ooh, I hate to ask this, but did you get that, in a fight with Caleb" he asked his son.

"Nah. No, it was with Noel Kahn." Toby told his dad. He sighed. "It's a long story. Caleb and I, we were disagreeing about a girl." "Hmm." was all the eldest Cavanaugh responded to his son, like he didn't believe him. Toby sighed, and he stood up "Because there's this girl." he began. "There usually is." Dan interrupted his son "But it's not about me and Caleb, it's about me and this girl." Toby told his dad, he paused for a bit and continued. "I think we should do something. And it's the right thing, Dad. But the girl says that if we do, or if I do this thing, it'll ruin what we have." Toby frowned; he put the ice pack back to his eye. "That doesn't make any sense, does it?" He asked. Dan just smiled at him. "You know, this is the most honest talk we've had in a while." he told Toby as he step around the chair to get closer. "And I'm glad that you want to do the right thing. I can see that. Even under the shiner." he joked, Toby just looked at his dad. "Toby, if you know it's the right thing to do, even though it's tough, even though it might... It might cost you. You got to do it." He advised Toby just nodded and glanced down.

Thunder rumbled, and the skies turned very dark grey, before the night fell, the band was marching and played their school's song, and the crowd cheered loudly, some even held pictures of Jason DiLaurentis. The cheerleaders cheered, Principal Fields and Sheriff Keller stood there talking, and making sure that tonight was to go great. Spencer's parents arrived at the game and looked for their daughter, Kevin was walking in the tracks making sure everything was going great. Toby ran down the field and went up to where she was standing by the table of refreshments. Caleb stared at them both. "I'm going to come clean with Fields and Keller." He started to explain, Ms. Marshall snapped her head at him. "I was there. I heard the gunshot and I have to own that."

" Toby slow down." she told him "I'm going to do it tomorrow. If you want to come with me, then we can figure it out. If not, I respect that, and I'll do everything I can to keep you out of it." Toby explained. She just shook her head. "I'm sorry Ms. Marshall, but I have to."

Toby turned and spotted Caleb who had looked away, Toby looked back at her and then he left, walking towards Caleb. "Girl troubles you?" Caleb taunted at him. "Marshall and me. We're telling Fields." Toby told him. Caleb listen with a blank expression as Toby continued "At least I am and also I didn't mean that crap I said to you. I'm sorry." he apologized. "It's cool." Caleb told him, Toby just stared at him, and Caleb stared at him back, smiling. "We're not going to hug in front of this whole town." he told him laughing "So why don't we both just do that bro thing, where we nod like douches and mutually suppress our emotions." he said. Toby smiled. "Yeah, but as friends? Right?" he asked. "To be discussed, over many burgers, and many days." Caleb told him, smiling a bit

Toby smiled in retuned and nodded as he walked back and left to go join the rest of the football team, Toby just shook his head and smiled and walked back where he accidentally bumped into Spence "Oh my god Toby, your eye." Spencer told him softly and she reached out for his eye.

Toby just stared at her, and flinched when her soft fingers made contact with his eyes. He just took a step back and he was swept away by the football team now running towards the field. She sighed and went to go join the rest of the Vixens.

"Now to kickoff this pep rally, I'd like to hand it over to our very own Mayor Marin." Principal Fields introduced as, Mayor Marin waved and Coach Widen stood there as well. "Thank you Pam." He began. "It is heartening to see so many of you here, even in weather like this, but a lack of heart and school spirit has never been this town's way. Tonight's pep rally isn't like any other we've had in the past." Everyone cheered and he continued. "And we shouldn't pretend that it is. Which is why I would like to dedicate this evening to the memory of one of our brightest, Jason DiLaurentis. We're with him tonight." Ali stood there listen less shivering a bit. "Now please, join me in welcoming to the field our very own Vixens, and their special guest stars, my niece, Hanna and her Pussycats!" he announced. The Pussycats walked up the stage to set up and the Vixens stood there waiting for the cue to begin to preform, everyone cheered. Hanna began to sing and the Vixens began to perform, what they have been practicing.

Towards the end, Ali left to go join the girls up on stage as Hanna finished. She smiled as Hanna pulled her in for a hug. Everyone cheered and Coach Widen ran up the stage to welcome his team." All right, you all ready? Let's make some noise!" Coach Widen yelled out. "Put your hands together for the, Rosedale Warriors!" he hollered and everyone began to cheer even louder. Ali let go of Hanna to join the clapping.

Toby ripped the Warriors entrance, and the rest of the football team followed. Alison's smile faded as she saw Jason's number now being worn on Toby seeing her brother's ghost for a brief second. It took her down memory road to the July Fourth, Alison remembered where she was sitting on the rocks after the boat tipped and the worst memory of them all seeing Jason's body, with a bullet between his eyes. Her eyes began to water and she turned and ran away. Mona and Spencer shared a concerned look when they saw her leave, Principal Fields and Sheriff Keller noticed as well. Jessica and Kenneth DiLaurentis stood up when they noticed their daughter ran away, and the Pussycats all turned to call her. Alison just ignored them all and ran, Mona then told another girl to hold the sign and began to run after her, Spencer noticed and she quickly got another girl to get a hold of the sign and followed.

Ali was in the locker room, sobbing, that was how Mona had found her. "Alison?" Mona called her out softly. Alison just sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Alison, what is it? What happened?" Mona asked concerned as she walked towards her, and sat down next to her. "Jason he's gone." Ali said, now crying into her hands. "I know he is." Mona told her soothing "No you don't you don't understand, he was supposed to come back." She told her sobbing. Mona frowned in confusion, not finding the words to speak. Spencer ran in and noticed a sobbing Ali and a confused Mona. "I'm alone, I'm all alone." Alison sobbed out. Mona went to comfort the lost girl. "You're not alone it's okay." she told her softly." Ali turned around quickly and hugged Mona slightly surprising her, but she just let Ali hold her until all of her tears were out. Spencer left the locker room to give them some privacy and waited out in the empty hallway as she saw Mona walk out of the locker room.

"Hey, I saw you and Ali. Not many girls would've done with what you did." Spencer told her. Mona chuckled a bit. "Full disclosure. I've had my share of emotional breakdowns " she said. "If you're not doing anything, do you want to go get a milkshake at Pop's?" Spencer asked smiling.

Mona turned to her smiling as well. "Are you sure? she asked beaming. "Yeah and I'm hearing milkshakes calling our names." Spencer told her. "I love the way you think Spence" Mona answered her beaming at her, and they both walked away.

The girls were sitting in a booth when their shakes came "Here you go with. One old fashioned vanilla and one modern day Chocolate" the waiter said giving them the shakes.

As the girls sat down with their shakes Mona spoke up. We to make a vow that no matter what, no boy will ever come between us again. Deal?" Mona said. Spencer smiled sheepishly "Deal." She told the petite girl picking up her milkshake. Mona smiled and they clinked their drink.

The bell chimed and Mona noticed and she stared, Spencer noticed and when she turned around and saw Caleb and Toby, looking their way. She saw them smile at them and she turned back to Spencer and they spoke with their eyes.

Spencer turned back. "Do you want to join us?" she asked smiling a bit. Caleb smiled fondly, and it disappeared as quick as it came, he answered in a straight face. "Yes." Toby turned to him as he started to walk towards them. "But only if you're treating." he said. Mona laughed and Spencer smiled, sliding over. "Mona Vanderwall." She introduced herself to Caleb.

"Caleb" Caleb replied, as he made his way to the other booth only to use it to cross over. Rachel smiled at him amused, and Toby smiled at Spence. "Caleb Rivers, the Second because I was named after my long dead ancestor." he finished off. "Caleb Rivers the second" Mona repeated, smiling. All four started to talk, smiling and laughing.

_To someone on the outside, peering in, it would've looked like there were four people in that booth, but I was there, and I can tell you. "Really, there were only three. "A brunette girl, a raven-haired girl, and the luckiest fawn hair boy in the universe. One shining moment, we were just kids. "Those bright neon lights of Pop's keeping darkness at bay. "Giving way, as all nights must, to a morning of reckoning._ Toby walked the down the hallway, making his way to the principal. He took a deep breath in and made his way to the door. He hesitated a bit and then he went to open the door, but he was cut off when Principal Fields and Sheriff Keller walked out the office. Toby just stared at them as they walked away, and he was confused to why they were leaving.

Mr. Tanner walked up to his board explaining the assignment, when he turned and noticed them. Caleb turned and looked confused. Kevin now looked up and he turned and his smile fell when he noticed his dad, Spencer noticed and then she turned as well. Ali's smile fell and she glanced down, and Mona just looked at them confused. Alison stood up and walked out to the side of the table."

"You're here for me, aren't you?" Ali asked. "Because of the autopsy?" she asked again. That got everyone's attention. "We don't need to do this in front of your classmates, Alison." Principal Fields said. It's alright." she said, holding out hands. "They'll find out soon enough." she said. "Now that won't be necessary." Sheriff Keller told her. "Wait, Alison, find out what?" Spencer asked. Ali turned back to her and faced back to Principal Fields and Sheriff Keller. "That I'm guilty." she said quietly. "Everyone just stared at her shock, and confused. Sheriff Keller didn't handcuff her, but they each took her arm. Toby was walking back to his class when he noticed Ali getting taken away. She looked pained and Toby was confused like everyone else to why Ali was being taken. "_As shocking as those three words were, they were nothing compared to the secrets that Jason's body had given up during it's autopsy. "That he didn't die, on July 4th as we believed, but over a week later._


End file.
